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10 things to know for today

Associated Press
12:10 a.m. EDT September 3, 2014

FILE - In this Monday, June 6, 2014 file photo, Apple CEO Steve Jobs talks about iCloud at the Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco. The circulation of nude photographs stolen from celebrities' online accounts has thrown a spotlight on the security of cloud computing, a system used by a growing number of Americans to store personal information over the Internet. On Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2014 Apple acknowledged the security breakdown and blamed it on intruders who were able to figure out usernames and passwords and bypass other safeguards. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File)(Photo: Marcio Jose Sanchez, AP)

Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today:

1. VIDEO PURPORTS TO SHOW US JOURNALIST’S BEHEADING

Steven Sotloff is apparently executed by a fighter with the Islamic State, the extremist group that has conquered wide swaths of territory across Syria and Iraq. The militants killed reporter James Foley two weeks ago.

2.NATO TO OPPOSE RUSSIAN AGGRESSION, OBAMA SAYS

The U.S. president and Western allies will approve plans to post at least 4,000 troops and military equipment in Eastern Europe to bolster nervous member states near the Russian border.

3. UKRAINIAN REBEL OFFENSIVE INTENSIFIES

The separatists have been successful against government troops in the last 10 days just as columns of Russian tanks and armored vehicles have been seen crossing the border.

4. WHAT’S CAUSING FRUSTRATION AT 30,000 FEET

Three U.S. flights made unscheduled landings in the past eight days after passengers got into fights over reclining seats.

5. WHY NUDE PHOTO HACKS MAY CONTINUE TO HAUNT CELEBS

Jennifer Lawrence and other stars must remain vigilant in tracking down new online sites that may post the pictures leaked by cyber pirates.

6. GROUP OFFERS GRIM EBOLA ASSESSMENT

Doctors Without Borders, which has treated more than 1,000 patients afflicted by the deadly virus in West Africa since March, is completely overwhelmed by the disease, the organization’s president says.

7. STUDY: DOUBLE MASTECTORMY DOESN’T INCREASE SURVIVAL

Removing both breasts to treat cancer affecting only one side doesn’t boost survival chances for most women, compared with surgery that removes just the tumor, a study of 200,000 women suggests.

8. HOW PLAYING AN INSTRUMENT CAN MAKE BETTER STUDENTS

Musical training attunes the brain in ways linked directly to improved skills in subjects like reading and speech, new research finds.

9. SCIENTISTS LINK POLAR VORTEX, MELTING SEA ICE

Researchers have found that many such outbreaks of arctic cold happened a few months after unusually low sea ice levels in the waters off Russia.

10. NFL HITS COLTS OWNER WITH $500K FINE

Jim Irsay has also been suspended for the first six games of the season, after pleading guilty to driving while intoxicated and being under the influence of painkillers.